Green Power: Wind as a non-polluting source of energy

'Green electricity' is power produced from sources that do not harm the environment. Green power production
technologies are those that that clearly reduce the harmful environmental impacts of energy generation. They
generally make use of renewable sources like wind, water, sun and biomass.
Wind Energy is energy harnessed from the wind. Man has used wind energy for over 2000 years. In many places,
wind energy was harnessed by windmills for pumping water and grinding grain. Windmills work by slowing down
the speed of the wind. The wind flows over the blades causing them to turn.

The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce electricity. Wind turbines
need a constant, average wind speed of about 14 miles per hour before the wind turbines can generate electricity.
For producing large amounts of electricity, many machines can be installed together to form a wind farm.

Advantages of Wind Energy:

Since wind energy is the result of temperature changes due to the heat of the sun, and the sun is an
inexhaustible source of energy, wind energy is also renewable.
It is a clean, reliable cost effective source of electricity.
Electricity generated from the wind does not contribute to global warming and acid rain.
Compared to energy from nuclear power plants, there is no risk of radioactive exposure from wind power.

How to make a wind turbine at home

The amount of energy produced by a wind machine depends upon the wind speed and the size of the blades in the
machine. For a home turbine, the blades would need to span about 5 metres from tip to tip.

This is known as the rotor diameter. When the blades turn the mechanical energy produced by the blades has to
be converted to electrical energy with the help of a generator. The generator can be connected to a switchboard
to show the electricity produced.

If you are building the wind turbine at a windy spot, then a car alternator may be used as a generator but if you are
doing this indoors or as a model, then use a permanent magnet generator to get the wind. You can also use a fan
on a vertical stand to create the wind.

You can either install the turbine blades on the rooftop or a small open space. Make sure the area is not closed, as
it has to catch the wind. Remember it is better to put safety first when working with a wind turbine. Always ask an
adult to help you and work under adult supervision.

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/project_ideas/green_power/

What is green electricity?

Have you ever stopped to think about where your electricity comes from? In the UK about two thirds of our
electricity is generated by burning coal and gas in power stations. This releases millions of tonnes of carbon
dioxide, the main gas responsible for climate change, every year. The other third of electricity mainly comes from
nuclear power, which has other worryingly severe environmental impacts.

Green electricity' means electricity produced from sources which do not cause these impacts upon the
environment. Of course, every type of electricity generation will have some impact, but some sources are much
greener than others. The cleanest energy sources are those which utilise the natural energy flows of the Earth.
These are usually known as renewable energy sources, because they will never run out.

Wind power
The winds that blow across the UK can be harnessed by turbines to provide electricity. Wind turbines sited in
suitable locations already provide a small, but growing percentage of the UK's electricity, and are used successfully
all around the world. In fact wind power is one of the worlds fastest growing energy sources! Wind turbine
technology has greatly improved over the last ten years, making wind turbines quieter and more efficient so that
electricity generated from the wind is now often competitive with traditional coal-fired and nuclear power
stations. Wind turbines are also beginning to be built at sea in the future much of our electricity could come
from these offshore windfarms.

Solar power
Many people believe that we don't get much solar energy here in the UK. In fact solar power is already being used
to provide essential power for many types of equipment being used in both remote and urban areas across the
country. A solar photovoltaic (PV) module works by converting sunlight directly into electricity (even on cloudy
days) using semiconductor technology. The vast majority of solar modules available today use waste silicon from
the computer chip industry as the semiconductor material. They can be integrated into buildings and even made
into roof tiles virtually indistinguishable from normal tiles.

Solar energy can also be used to heat water directly using specially designed collectors. Even in winter a useful
amount of hot water can be produced from roof top collectors. A third way to use solar energy is simply to design
buildings to make maximum use of the sun. Using this so-called 'passive solar' approach, much of the energy that
we currently use for heating, lighting and air conditioning can be saved.

Hydro power
Water turbines have been used to provide electricity for over 100 years and presently provide over 1% of the UKs
electricity. Although most of the possible sites for large hydropower stations in the UK have already been
developed, there is a large potential for smaller schemes. These can either use a small dam or work as a 'run of the
river' system which has a minimal impact on the local environment.

Wave power
Britain is blessed with some of the most powerful waves in the world. Many different devices have been designed
over the years to try and capture some of this huge energy resource. With the proper support, wave power could
provide a significant proportion of the UK's electricity needs in the future.

Tidal power
Tidal power has been used in Britain for over a thousand years at the time of the Doomsday book over 5,000
tide powered mills were recorded. Unlike other renewable energy sources, which depend on the weather, tidal
power is as predictable as the tides themselves. One way to capture tidal energy is to build a barrage across an
estuary, storing water behind it as the tide rises and then releasing the stored water through turbines at low tide.
Several sites around the UK could be suitable for this type of tidal system, the largest being the Severn Estuary.
Another way is to use marine current turbines, which work like underwater wind turbines, harnessing tidal
currents instead of the winds.

Geothermal
Geothermal energy comes from hot rocks deep underground. In some parts of the world steam comes to the
surface and can be used to run steam turbines to produce electricity directly. In other places water can be pumped
down and heated by the rocks to make steam. Geothermal energy can also be used to provide hot water and
heating for buildings.

Biomass
Either agricultural wastes or specially grown plants can be used as a fuel to run small power stations. As plants
grow they absorb carbon dioxide (the main gas responsible for climate change) which is then released when the
plants are burnt. So using biomass does not add any extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Specially grown
'energy crops' provide not only an environmentally sound source of electricity, but also an important new
opportunity for farmers. However, there are concerns about the sustainability of sourcing biomass from countries
where forests are being cleared to make way for fast growing plants that are then used as biomass.
Landfill gas
As rubbish decomposes in the landfill sites where our household waste is dumped, it gives off methane gas. This
gas can be captured and burnt in a gas turbine to produce electricity. Burning the gas does give off carbon dioxide
but since methane, which is emitted from the landfill site, is in fact a much more powerful greenhouse gas it is
better to burn it than to allow the methane to escape into the atmosphere. There are already many landfill gas
systems operating in the UK.

Waste incineration
The UK generates an enormous amount of waste, and space at landfill sites is quickly running out. The best
solution would be to recycle as much of the waste as possible, but instead incinerators are being constructed to
burn the waste. In some cases the energy is being used to generate electricity. However many environmentalists
are still concerned about the emission of harmful dioxins and also about the loss of a valuable resources that could
have been recycled.

http://www.greenelectricity.org/what-is-green-electricity.php

Green Power: Energy Sources

Zero emission green power is generated from renewable energy sources without creating air pollution.

SunSolar radiation that reaches Earth's surface can generate electricity in several ways. Photovoltaic systems
use semiconductors to convert light to electricity. Solar concentrators heat water to create steam, which turns
turbines to generate electricity.
WindThe kinetic energy of wind can be harnessed to generate electricity using wind turbines of many different
sizes and applications.
WaterFlowing water can be directed through hydropower turbines to generate electricity.
EarthIn a typical geothermal facility, heat from within the Earth heats water to create steam, which turns
turbines to generate electricity.
TideTidal power facilities operate by focusing the tides' daily cycles of movement into an electricity generator.
WavesIn a wave power facility, a water column moves up and down to turn a turbine to generate electricity.
OceanThe thermal energy of the ocean can be harnessed to generate electricity. Closed-cycle systems use the
ocean's warm surface water to vaporize a working fluid, which then expands and turns a turbine. Open-cycle
systems boil seawater to produce steam for use in a turbine.

Other green power is generated from renewable energy sources while producing some air pollution.

BiomassIn a typical biomass facility, waste wood is burned to heat water to create steam, which turns turbines
to generate electricity. Biomass facilities emit air pollution, but use a renewable fuel source.
Landfill GasLandfills produce potent greenhouse gases like methane, which can be captured and used to
generate electricity. In a typical landfill gas facility, the combustion of these gases is used to create steam, which
turns turbines to generate electricity. Landfill gas facilities emit air pollution, including nitrogen oxides, but use a
waste gas fuel source that would otherwise contribute to global climate change.
Municipal WasteIn a typical municipal waste incinerator facility, waste from many sources (including
construction, residential and business trash) is burned, creating steam to turn generating turbines. All waste-to-
energy incinerators carry air permits regulating the amounts of air pollution they emit, and all reduce the volume
of material entering landfills.

Alternatives to green power deplete nonrenewable energy sources.

UraniumUranium is the primary fuel source for nuclear power. In a typical nuclear power plant, fissionable
atoms are split in a controlled reaction to heat water to create steam, which turns turbines to generate electricity.
Undesirable impacts of nuclear power generation include radioactive waste storage and protection,
decommissioning costs, risks of catastrophic accidents, uranium-mining costs, and dependence on foreign sources
of uranium.
CoalIn a typical coal-fired power plant, coal is burned to create steam, which turns turbines to generate
electricity. In a cogeneration facility, the heat produced by burning coal may be used for other purposes in addition
to electricity generation. Undesirable impacts of coal-fired power plants include air pollution and coal-mining costs
and associated environmental damage.
Natural GasNatural gas is a fossil fuel composed primarily of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In a typical gas-
fired power plant, gas is burned to heat water to create steam, which turns turbines to generate electricity. When
gas is used in a cogeneration facility, the heat produced is used for other purposes in addition to electricity
generation. Undesirable impacts of gas-fired power plants include air pollution and gas-drilling costs.
OilOil (also called petroleum) is a fossil fuel composed of various liquid hydrocarbons. In a typical oil-fired power
plant, oil is burned to create steam, which turns turbines to generate electricity. Oil may also be used in a
cogeneration facility, where the heat produced by burning oil is used for other purposes in addition to electricity
generation. Undesirable impacts of oil-fired power plants include air pollution, oil-drilling costs, and dependence
on foreign sources of oil.
TiresIn a typical tire-fired power plant, tires are chipped and burned to create steam, which turns turbines to
generate electricity. Tires may also be burned in a cogeneration facility where the heat produced is used for other
purposes in addition to electricity generation. Undesirable impacts of tire-fired power plants include air pollution.

http://www.mainegreenpower.org/generic/sources.shtml

Top 10 Renewable Energy Sources

There are many sources of energy that are renewable and considered to be environmentally friendly
and harness natural processes. These sources of energy provide an alternate cleaner source of energy,
helping to negate the effects of certain forms of pollution. All of these power generation techniques can
be described as renewable since they are not depleting any resource to create the energy. While there
are many large-scale renewable energy projects and production, renewable technologies are also suited
to small off-grid applications, sometimes in rural and remote areas, where energy is often crucial in
human development.
10 Tidal Power

Tidal energy can be generated in two ways, tidal stream

generators or by barrage generation. The power
created though tidal generators is generally more
environmentally friendly and causes less impact on
established ecosystems. Similar to a wind turbine, many
tidal stream generators rotate underwater and is driven
by the swiftly moving dense water. Although not yet
widely used, tidal power has potential for future
electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than
wind energy and solar power. Historically, tide mills
have been used, both in Europe and on the Atlantic
coast of the USA. The earliest occurrences date from the Middle Ages, or even from Roman times. Tidal
power is the only form of energy which derives directly from the relative motions of the EarthMoon
system, and to a lesser extent from the EarthSun system. The tidal forces produced by the Moon and
Sun, in combination with Earths rotation, are responsible for the generation of the tides. British
company Lunar Energy announced that they would be building the worlds first tidal energy farm off the
coast of Pembrokshire in Wales. It will be the worlds first deep-sea tidal-energy farm and will provide
electricity for 5,000 homes. Eight underwater turbines, each 25 metres long and 15 metres high, are to
be installed on the sea bottom off St Davids peninsula. Construction is due to start in the summer of
2008 and the proposed tidal energy turbines, described as a wind farm under the sea, should be
operational by 2010.

9 Wave Power

Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean

surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do
useful work for example for electricity generation,
water desalination, or the pumping of water (into
reservoirs). Wave energy can be difficult to harness
due to the unpredictability of the ocean and wave
direction. Wave farms have been created and are in
use in Europe, using floating Pelamis Wave Energy
converters. Most wave power systems include the
use of a floating buoyed device and generate energy
through a snaking motion, or by mechanical movement from the waves peaks and troughs. Though
often co-mingled, wave power is distinct from the diurnal flux of tidal power and the steady gyre of
ocean currents. Wave power generation is not currently a widely employed commercial technology
although there have been attempts at using it since at least 1890. The worlds first commercial wave
farm is based in Portugal, at the Aguadora Wave Park, which consists of three 750 kilowatt Pelamis
devices. In the United States, the Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative is funding the building of a
commercial wave-power park at Reedsport, Oregon. The project will utilize the PowerBuoy technology
Ocean Power Technologies which consists of modular, ocean-going buoys. The rising and falling of the
waves moves the buoy-like structure creating mechanical energy which is converted into electricity and
transmitted to shore over a submerged transmission line. A 40 kW buoy has a diameter of 12 feet (4 m)
and is 52 feet (16 m) long, with approximately 13 feet of the unit rising above the ocean surface. Using
the three-point mooring system, they are designed to be installed one to five miles (8 km) offshore in
water 100 to 200 feet (60 m) deep.

8 Solar Power

Photovoltaic (PV) Solar power is harnessing the suns

energy to produce electricity. One of the fastest
growing energy sources, new technologies are
developing at a rapid pace. Solar cells are becoming
more efficient, transportable and even flexible, allowing
for easy installation. PV has mainly been used to power
small and medium-sized applications, from the
calculator powered by a single solar cell to off-grid
homes powered by a photovoltaic array. The 1973 oil
crisis stimulated a rapid rise in the production of PV during the 1970s and early 1980s. Steadily falling oil
prices during the early 1980s, however, led to a reduction in funding for photovoltaic R&D and a
discontinuation of the tax credits associated with the Energy Tax Act of 1978. These factors moderated
growth to approximately 15% per year from 1984 through 1996. Since the mid-1990s, leadership in the
PV sector has shifted from the US to Japan and Germany. Between 1992 and 1994 Japan increased R&D
funding, established net metering guidelines, and introduced a subsidy program to encourage the
installation of residential PV systems. Solar installations in recent years have also largely begun to
expand into residential areas, with governments offering incentive programs to make green energy a
more economically viable option. In Canada the government offers the RESOP (Renewable Energy
Standard Offer Program).

7 Wind Power

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy by wind

turbines into a useful form, such as electricity or
mechanical energy. Large-scale wind farms are
typically connected to the local power transmission
network with small turbines used to provide
electricity to isolated areas. Residential units are
entering production and are are capable of powering
large appliances to entire houses depending on the
size. Wind farms installed on agricultural land or
grazing areas, have one of the lowest environmental
impacts of all energy sources. Although wind produces only about 1.5% of worldwide electricity use, it is
growing rapidly, having doubled in the three years between 2005 and 2008. In several countries it has
achieved relatively high levels of penetration, accounting for approximately 19% of electricity
production in Denmark, 11% in Spain and Portugal, and 7% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland in
2008. Wind energy has historically been used directly to propel sailing ships or converted into
mechanical energy for pumping water or grinding grain, but the principal application of wind power
today is the generation of electricity. As of 2008, Europe leads the world in development of offshore
wind power, due to strong wind resources and shallow water in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and
limitations on suitable locations on land due to dense populations and existing developments. Denmark
installed the first offshore wind farms, and for years was the world leader in offshore wind power until
the United Kingdom gained the lead in October, 2008. Other large markets for wind power, including the
United States and China focused first on developing their on-land wind resources where construction
costs are lower (such as in the Great Plains of the U.S., and the similarly wind-swept steppes of Xinjiang
and Inner Mongolia in China), but population centers along coastlines in many parts of the world are
close to offshore wind resources, which would reduce transmission costs.

6 Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by

hydropower, i.e., the production of power through
use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing
water. It is the most widely used form of renewable
energy. Once a hydroelectric complex is
constructed, the project produces no direct waste.
Small scale hydro or micro-hydro power has been
an increasingly popular alternative energy source,
especially in remote areas where other power
sources are not viable. Small scale hydro power
systems can be installed in small rivers or streams
with little or no discernible environmental effect or disruption to fish migration. Most small scale hydro
power systems make no use of a dam or major water diversion, but rather use water wheels to generate
energy. This was approximately 19% of the worlds electricity (up from 16% in 2003), and accounted for
over 63% of electricity from renewable sources. While many hydroelectric projects supply public
electricity networks, some are created to serve specific industrial enterprises. Dedicated hydroelectric
projects are often built to provide the substantial amounts of electricity needed for aluminium
electrolytic plants, for example. In the Scottish Highlands there are examples at Kinlochleven and
Lochaber, constructed during the early years of the 20th century. The Grand Coulee Dam, long the
worlds largest, switched to support Alcoa aluminum in Bellingham, Washington for Americas World
War II airplanes before it was allowed to provide irrigation and power to citizens (in addition to
aluminum power) after the war. In Suriname, the Brokopondo Reservoir was constructed to provide
electricity for the Alcoa aluminium industry. New Zealands Manapouri Power Station was constructed
to supply electricity to the aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point.

5 Radiant Energy

This natural energy can perform the same wonders

as ordinary electricity at less than 1% of the cost. It
does not behave exactly like electricity, however,
which has contributed to the scientific communitys
misunderstanding of it. The Methernitha
Community in Switzerland currently has 5 or 6
working models of fuelless, self-running devices
that tap this energy. Nikola Teslas magnifying
transmitter, T. Henry Morays radiant energy
device, Edwin Grays EMA motor, and Paul
Baumanns Testatika machine all run on radiant
energy. This natural energy form can be gathered directly from the environment or extracted from
ordinary electricity by the method called fractionation. One of the earliest wireless telephones to be
based on radiant energy was invented by Nikola Tesla. The device used transmitters and receivers
whose resonances were tuned to the same frequency, allowing communication between them. In 1916,
he recounted an experiment he had done in 1896. He recalled that Whenever I received the effects of a
transmitter, one of the simplest ways [to detect the wireless transmissions] was to apply a magnetic
field to currents generated in a conductor, and when I did so, the low frequency gave audible notes.

4 Geothermal Power

Geothermal energy is a very powerful and efficient

way to extract a renewable energy from the earth
through natural processes. This can be performed on
a small scale to provide heat for a residential unit (a
geothermal heat pump), or on a very large scale for
energy production through a geothermal power plant.
It has been used for space heating and bathing since
ancient roman times, but is now better known for
generating electricity. Geothermal power is cost
effective, reliable, and environmentally friendly, but has previously been geographically limited to areas
near tectonic plate boundaries. Recent technological advances have dramatically expanded the range
and size of viable resources, especially for direct applications such as home heating. The largest group of
geothermal power plants in the world is located at The Geysers, a geothermal field in California, United
States. As of 2004, five countries (El Salvador, Kenya, the Philippines, Iceland, and Costa Rica) generate
more than 15% of their electricity from geothermal sources. Geothermal power requires no fuel, and is
therefore immune to fluctuations in fuel cost, but capital costs tend to be high. Drilling accounts for
most of the costs of electrical plants, and exploration of deep resources entails very high financial risks.
Geothermal power offers a degree of scalability: a large geothermal plant can power entire cities while
smaller power plants can supply rural villages or heat individual homes. Geothermal electricity is
generated in 24 countries around the world and a number of potential sites are being developed or
evaluated.

3 Biomass

Biomass, as a renewable energy source, refers to living and recently

dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial
production. In this context, biomass refers to plant matter grown to
generate electricity or produce for example trash such as dead trees
and branches, yard clippings and wood chips biofuel, and it also
includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers,
chemicals or heat. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes
that can be burnt as fuel. Industrial biomass can be grown from
numerous types of plants, including miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp,
corn, poplar, willow, sorghum, sugarcane, and a variety of tree
species, ranging from eucalyptus to oil palm (palm oil). The
particular plant used is usually not important to the end products,
but it does affect the processing of the raw material. Production of
biomass is a growing industry as interest in sustainable fuel sources
is growing. The existing commercial biomass power generating industry in the United States produces
about 0.5 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Currently, the New Hope Power Partnership is the
largest biomass power plant in North America. The facility reduces dependence on oil by more than one
million barrels per year, and by recycling sugar cane and wood waste, preserves landfill space in urban
communities in Florida.

2 Compressed Natural Gas

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a fossil fuel substitute

for gasoline, diesel, or propane fuel. Although its
combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a
more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels,
and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a
spill (natural gas is lighter than air, and disperses
quickly when released). CNG is used in traditional
gasoline internal combustion engine cars that have
been converted into bi-fuel vehicles (gasoline/CNG).
Natural gas vehicles are increasingly used in Europe and South America due to rising gasoline prices. In
response to high fuel prices and environmental concerns, CNG is starting to be used also in light-duty
passenger vehicles and pickup trucks, medium-duty delivery trucks, transit and school buses, and trains.
Italy currently has the largest number of CNG vehicles in Europe and is the 4th country in the world for
number of CNG-powered vehicles in circulation. Canada is a large producer of natural gas, so it follows
that CNG is used in Canada as an economical motor fuel. Canadian industry has developed CNG-fueled
truck and bus engines, CNG-fueled transit buses, and light trucks and taxis. Both CNG and propane
refueling stations are not difficult to find in major centers. During the 1970s and 1980s, CNG was
commonly used in New Zealand in the wake of the oil crises, but fell into decline after petrol prices
receded.
1 Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is any nuclear technology designed

to extract usable energy from atomic nuclei via
controlled nuclear reactions. The only method in use
today is through nuclear fission, though other
methods might one day include nuclear fusion and
radioactive decay. All utility-scale reactors heat
water to produce steam, which is then converted
into mechanical work for the purpose of generating
electricity or propulsion. In 2007, 14% of the worlds
electricity came from nuclear power, with the U.S.,
France, and Japan together accounting for 56.5% of nuclear generated electricity. There are 439 nuclear
power reactors in operation in the world, operating in 31 countries. According to the World Nuclear
Association, globally during the 1980s one new nuclear reactor started up every 17 days on average, and
by the year 2015 this rate could increase to one every 5 days. According to a 2007 story broadcast on 60
Minutes, nuclear power gives France the cleanest air of any industrialized country, and the cheapest
electricity in all of Europe. France reprocesses its nuclear waste to reduce its mass and make more
energy. Reprocessing can potentially recover up to 95% of the remaining uranium and plutonium in
spent nuclear fuel, putting it into new mixed oxide fuel. This produces a reduction in long term
radioactivity within the remaining waste, since this is largely short-lived fission products, and reduces its
volume by over 90%. France is generally cited as the most successful reprocessor, but it presently only
recycles 28% (by mass) of the yearly fuel use, 7% within France and another 21% in Russia.
Proponents of nuclear energy contend that nuclear power is a sustainable energy source that reduces
carbon emissions and increases energy security by decreasing dependence on foreign oil. Proponents
also emphasize that the risks of storing waste are small and can be further reduced by using the latest
technology in newer reactors, and the operational safety record in the Western World is excellent when
compared to the other major kinds of power plants. Critics believe that nuclear power is a potentially
dangerous energy source, with decreasing proportion of nuclear energy in power production, and
dispute whether the risks can be reduced through new technology. Proponents advance the notion that
nuclear power produces virtually no air pollution, in contrast to the chief viable alternative of fossil fuel.
Proponents also point out that nuclear power is the only viable course to achieve energy independence
for most Western countries. Critics point to the issue of storing radioactive waste, the history of and
continuing potential for radioactive contamination by accident or sabotage, the history of and
continuing possibility of nuclear proliferation and the disadvantages of centralized electricity
production.

http://listverse.com/2009/05/01/top-10-renewable-energy-sources/
Benefits of Renewable Energy Use
Renewable energy wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass provides substantial benefits for our
climate, our health, and our economy:
Each source of renewable energy has unique benefits and costs; this
page explores the many benefits associated with these energy
technologies. For more information on their potential impacts
including effective solutions to mitigate or avoid them entirely
see The Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies.

Little to No Global Warming Emissions

Human activity is overloading our atmosphere with carbon dioxide and
other global warming emissions, which trap heat, steadily drive up the
planets temperature, and create significant and harmful impacts on our
health, our environment, and our climate.
Electricity production accounts for more than one-third of U.S. global warming emissions, with the majority
generated by coal-fired power plants, which produce approximately 25 percent of total U.S. global warming
emissions; natural gas-fired power plants produce 6 percent of total emissions [1, 2]. In contrast, most renewable
energy sources produce little to no global warming emissions.
According to data aggregated by the International Panel on Climate Change, life-cycle global warming emissions
associated with renewable energyincluding manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance, and
dismantling and decommissioningare minimal [3].
Compared with natural gas, which emits between 0.6 and 2 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour
(CO2E/kWh), and coal, which emits between 1.4 and 3.6 pounds of CO2E/kWh, wind emits only 0.02 to 0.04
pounds of CO2E/kWh, solar 0.07 to 0.2,geothermal 0.1 to 0.2, and hydroelectric between 0.1 and 0.5. Renewable
electricity generation from biomass can have a wide range of global warming emissions depending on the resource
and how it is harvested. Sustainably sourced biomass has a low emissions footprint, while unsustainable sources of
biomass can generate significant global warming emissions.
Increasing the supply of renewable energy would allow us to replace carbon-intensive energy sources and
significantly reduce U.S. global warming emissions. For example, a 2009 UCS analysis found that a 25 percent by
2025 national renewable electricity standard would lower power plant CO2 emissions 277 million metric tons
annually by 2025the equivalent of the annual output from 70 typical (600 MW) new coal plants [4]. In addition, a
ground-breaking study by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory explored the
feasibility and environmental impacts associated with generating 80 percent of the countrys electricity from
renewable sources by 2050 and found that global warming emissions from electricity production could be reduced
by approximately 81 percent [5].

Improved Public Health and Environmental Quality

Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant public health benefits. The
air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to breathing problems, neurological
damage, heart attacks, and cancer. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy has been found to reduce
premature mortality and lost workdays, and it reduces overall healthcare costs [6]. The aggregate national
economic impact associated with these health impacts of fossil fuels is between $361.7 and $886.5 billion, or
between 2.5 percent and 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Wind, solar, and hydroelectric systems generate electricity with no associated air pollution emissions.
While geothermaland biomass energy systems emit some air pollutants, total air emissions are generally much
lower than those of coal- and natural gas-fired power plants.
In addition, wind and solar energy require essentially no water to operate and thus do not pollute water resources
or strain supply by competing with agriculture, drinking water systems, or other important water needs. In
contrast, fossil fuels can have a significant impact on water resources. For example, both coal mining and natural
gas drilling can pollute sources of drinking water. Natural gas extraction by hydraulic fracturing (fracking) requires
large amounts of water and all thermal power plants, including those powered by coal, gas, and oil, withdraw and
consume water for cooling.
Biomass and geothermal power plants, like coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, require water for cooling. In
addition, hydroelectric power plants impact river ecosystems both upstream and downstream from the dam.
However, NREL's 80 percent by 2050 renewable energy study, which included biomass and geothermal, found that
water withdrawals would decrease 51 percent to 58 percent by 2050 and water consumption would be reduced by
47 percent to 55 percent [7].

A Vast and Inexhaustible Energy Supply

Throughout the United States, strong winds, sunny skies, plant residues, heat from the earth, and fast-moving
water can each provide a vast and constantly replenished energy resource supply. These diverse sources of
renewable energy have the technical potential to provide all the electricity the nation needs many times over.
Estimates of the technical potential of each renewable energy source are based on their overall availability given
certain technological and environmental constraints [8]. In 2012, NREL found that together, renewable energy
sources have the technical potential to supply 482,247 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually (see Table 1).
This amount is 118 times the amount of electricity the nation currently consumes. However, it is important to note
that not all of this technical potential can be tapped due to conflicting land use needs, the higher short-term costs
of those resources, constraints on ramping up their use such as limits on transmission capacity, barriers to public
acceptance, and other hurdles.
Source: U.S. Renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS -Based Analysis, National Renewable Energy
Laboratory. July 2012.
Today, renewable energy provides only a tiny fraction of its potential electricity output in the United States and
worldwide. But numerous studies have repeatedly shown that renewable energy can be rapidly deployed to
provide a significant share of future electricity needs, even after accounting for potential constraints [9].

Jobs and Other Economic Benefits

Compared with fossil fuel technologies, which are typically mechanized and capital intensive, the renewable
energy industry is more labor-intensive. This means that, on average, more jobs are created for each unit of
electricity generated from renewable sources than from fossil fuels.
Renewable energy already supports thousands of jobs in the United States. For example, in 2011, the wind energy
industry directly employed 75,000 full-time-equivalent employees in a variety of capacities, including
manufacturing, project development, construction and turbine installation, operations and maintenance,
transportation and logistics, and financial, legal, and consulting services [10]. More than 500 factories in the United
States manufacture parts for wind turbines, and the amount of domestically manufactured equipment used in
wind turbines has grown dramatically in recent years: from 35 percent in 2006 to 70 percent in 2011 [11, 12].
Other renewable energy technologies employ even more workers. In 2011, the solar industry employed
approximately 100,000 people on a part-time or full-time basis, including jobs in solar installation, manufacturing,
and sales [13]; the hydroelectric power industry employed approximately 250,000 people in 2009 [14]; and in 2010
the geothermal industry employed 5,200 people [15].
Increasing renewable energy has the potential to create still more jobs. In 2009, the Union of Concerned Scientists
conducted an analysis of the economic benefits of a 25 percent renewable energy standard by 2025; it found that
such a policy would create more than three times as many jobs as producing an equivalent amount of electricity
from fossil fuelsresulting in a benefit of 202,000 new jobs in 2025 [16].
In addition to the jobs directly created in the renewable energy industry, growth in renewable energy industry
creates positive economic ripple effects. For example, industries in the renewable energy supply chain will
benefit, and unrelated local businesses will benefit from increased household and business incomes [17].
In addition to creating new jobs, increasing our use of renewable energy offers other important economic
development benefits. Local governments collect property and income taxes and other payments from renewable
energy project owners. These revenues can help support vital public services, especially in rural communities
where projects are often located. Owners of the land on which wind projects are built also often receive lease
payments ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 per megawatt of installed capacity, as well as payments for power line
easements and road rights-of-way. Or they may earn royalties based on the projects annual revenues. Similarly,
farmers and rural landowners can generate new sources of supplemental income by producing feedstocks for
biomass power facilities.
UCS analysis found that a 25 by 2025 national renewable electricity standard would stimulate $263.4 billion in new
capital investment for renewable energy technologies, $13.5 billion in new landowner income biomass production
and/or wind land lease payments, and $11.5 billion in new property tax revenue for local communities [18].
Renewable energy projects therefore keep money circulating within the local economy, and in most states
renewable electricity production would reduce the need to spend money on importing coal and natural gas from
other places. Thirty-eight states were net importers of coal in 2008from other states and, increasingly, other
countries: 16 states spent a total of more than $1.8 billion on coal from as far away as Colombia, Venezuela, and
Indonesia, and 11 states spent more than $1 billion each on net coal imports [19].

Stable Energy Prices

Renewable energy is providing affordable electricity across the country right now, and can help stabilize energy
prices in the future.
The costs of renewable energy technologies have declined steadily, and are projected to drop even more. For
example, the average price of a solar panel has dropped almost 60 percent since 2011 [20]. The cost of generating
electricity from wind dropped more than 20 percent between 2010 and 2012 and more than 80 percent since 1980
[21]. In areas with strong wind resources like Texas, wind power can compete directly with fossil fuels on costs
[22]. The cost of renewable energy will decline even further as markets mature and companies increasingly take
advantage of economies of scale.
While renewable facilities require upfront investments to build, once built they operate at very low cost and, for
most technologies, the fuel is free. As a result, renewable energy prices are relatively stable over time. UCSs
analysis of the economic benefits of a 25 percent renewable electricity standard found that such a policy would
lead to 4.1 percent lower natural gas prices and 7.6 percent lower electricity prices by 2030 [23].
In contrast, fossil fuel prices can vary dramatically and are prone to substantial price swings. For example, there
was a rapid increase in U.S. coal prices due to rising global demand before 2008, then a rapid fall after 2008 when
global demands declined [24]. Likewise, natural gas prices have fluctuated greatly since 2000 [25].
Using more renewable energy can lower the prices of and demand for natural gas and coal by increasing
competition and diversifying our energy supplies. An increased reliance on renewable energy can help protect
consumers when fossil fuel prices spike.
In addition, utilities spend millions of dollars on financial instruments to hedge themselves from these fossil fuel
price uncertainties. Since hedging costs are not necessary for electricity generated from renewable sources, long-
term renewable energy investments can help utilities save money they would otherwise spend to protect their
customers from the volatility of fossil fuel prices.

A More Reliable and Resilient Energy System

Wind and solar are less prone to large-scale failure because they are distributed and modular. Distributed systems
are spread out over a large geographical area, so a severe weather event in one location will not cut off power to
an entire region. Modular systems are composed of numerous individual wind turbines or solar arrays. Even if
some of the equipment in the system is damaged, the rest can typically continue to operate.
For example, in 2012 Hurricane Sandy damaged fossil fuel-dominated electric generation and distribution systems
in New York and New Jersey and left millions of people without power. In contrast, renewable energy projects in
the Northeast weathered Hurricane Sandy with minimal damage or disruption [26].
The risk of disruptive events will also increase in the future as droughts, heat waves, more intense storms, and
increasingly severe wildfires become more frequent due to global warming. Renewable energy sources are more
resilient than coal, natural gas, and nuclear power plants in the face of these sorts of extreme weather events.
For example, coal, natural gas, and nuclear power depend on large amounts of water for cooling, and limited water
availability during a severe drought or heat wave puts electricity generation at risk. Wind and solar photovoltaic
systems do not require water to generate electricity, and they can help mitigate risks associated with water
scarcity. (For more information, see How it Works: Water for Electricity.)

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